A wind turbine is a device which converts kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy or mechanical power. This mechanical power is used directly or in combination with a generator for conversion of the power into electricity, which is then distributed for use in residential buildings or homes, offices, schools etc.
Wind being a renewable source can be harnesses and used to generate power, inexhaustibly and is sustainable. Generation of wind energy does not cause pollution and requires no additional operational costs, after installation. Photovoltaic modules or panels absorb natural sunlight, another renewable source of energy to generate electricity. A photovoltaic module is generally a packaged assembly of a plurality of photovoltaic solar cells.
However, due to variations in ambient conditions, efficiency of these energy-generating systems is affected by undesired weather conditions and batteries are used for storing generated energy for the times when there is an absence of wind or at night. In sun-drenched hot climate regions, elevated temperatures and dust accumulation are considered critical due to their impact on the electrical performance of photovoltaic systems. Traditionally, a wide range of cooling techniques have been investigated and tested for thermal regulation of photovoltaic systems. Air and liquid based cooling of photovoltaic systems are a few among the researched techniques.
Passive cooling mechanisms refer to technologies used to extract or minimize heat absorption from the photovoltaic modules without additional power consumption. The mechanism implies transporting heat from where it is generated and dissipating it to the environment. The operating temperatures of photovoltaic modules increase due to absorbed solar radiations that are not converted into electricity, causing a decrease in the electrical efficiencies.
In traditional systems, photovoltaic modules or panels are stationary and their elevated operating temperatures deteriorate the electrical power generated from the modules. Excessive areas are also required for implementing photovoltaic panels and wind turbines.
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a modified and hybrid turbine apparatus, which overcomes at least a part of the above disadvantages and using lesser components, which are easier to maintain.